L

Andrew H. Leonard
Type of Officer: US Corrections Officer
Jurisdiction: Leavenworth Penitentiary
County: Leavenworth
Death Date: 11/14/1922
Added to Memorial: 2006
Circumstances of Death:
Captain Andrew H. Leonard was stabbed to death by inmate Joe Martinez at the United States Penitentiary in Leavenworth, Kansas on November 14, 1922. Captain Leonard and other officers were search for Martinez, who had stabbed another officer. Captain Leonard armed only with a club, found Martinez on a coal pile and became involved in a struggle with him. During the struggle Captain Leonard was knocked to the ground and stabbed to death. A deputy warden shot the inmate twice. Martinez then ran into the coal bunker. He was distracted by other inmates and two other inmates captured him. A total of six officers were stabbed in the incident. Captain Leonard, A Spanish American War Veteran, was 52 years old at the time of his death. He was survived by his wife and three children.
 

Danny Laffey
Type of Officer: Police Officer
Jurisdiction: Wichita
County: Sedgwick
Death Date: 1/5/1982
Added to Memorial: 1987
Circumstances of Death:
Officer Laffey was investigating a disturbance call at the Zanzibar club. He had stopped a suspect vehicle in the street and was in the process of removing the occupants when a passing vehicle, traveling at a high rate of speed and having defective brakes, jumped the curb and struck Officer Laffey.

Peter R. Lanihan
Type of Officer: Sheriff
Jurisdiction: Ellis County
County: Ellis
Death Date: 7/18/1871
Added to Memorial: 1987
Circumstances of Death:
A former deputy of Wild Bill Hickok, “Rattlesnake Pete” Lanihan (or Lanahan) defeated Hickok in the sheriff’s election of 1869.Evidently, Lanihan’s election upset some criminal elements and it is conjectured that they plotted to “set up” the new sheriff. On the night of July 16, 1871, a fight started in Henry “Dog” Kelley’s saloon, and when Lanihan attempted to stop the disturbance,he was shot twice. He died of the wounds within two days.

Seldon B. Lard
Type of Officer: Sheriff
Jurisdiction: Riley County
County: Riley
Death Date: 10/20/1897
Added to Memorial: 1987
Circumstances of Death:
Sheriff Lard, accompanied by a deputy and the county attorney, was attempting to serve a warrant for disturbing the peace and violation of the prohibitory law on Ike Warren and his wife in Leonardville. The officers took possession of Warren's café. Later, as Sheriff Lard approached Warren on the street, words were exchanged and Warren shot and killed the sheriff. The offender was pursued and captured by citizens of Leonardville.

Charles Q. Lukens
Type of Officer: Deputy Sheriff
Jurisdiction: Wyandotte County
County: Wyandotte
Death Date: 12/8/1909
Added to Memorial: 1988
Circumstances of Death:
Deputy Sheriff Lukens and Rosedale Night Marshal Drew attempted to serve divorce papers on one Charles T. Galloway on the afternoon of December 8, 1909. Galloway resisted and ran from the officers firing his .38 caliber revolver. In his efforts to stop Galloway Charles Lukens was shot and killed. Galloway was later killed in a gun duel with police in a house he had commandeered.

Roger Lutcher
Type of Officer: Police Officer
Jurisdiction: Kansas City
County: Wyandotte
Death Date: 12/28/1969
Added to Memorial: 1987
Circumstances of Death:
Officer Lutcher and his partner, Howard Berry, were on patrol when they observed another officer, Robert Mackey, pursuing a suspect. The officer chased the suspect into an alley and ordered him to surrender. He complied, but as Officers Lutcher and Berry approached him, he pulled a gun and opened fire, hitting and killing Lutcher. The suspect was shot and killed by the other officer. It was learned later that the killer was wanted by police for other crimes.